Tax Preparer and Two Employees Indicted on Fraud Charges

A tax preparer and two employees were indicted on charges related to the preparation and filing of false tax returns.

Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael J. De Palma, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement.

Olry Maurival, of West Palm Beach, Florida, Paula Pognon, also of West Palm Beach, Florida and Amos Regusme, of Felton, Delaware, have been indicted for conspiracy to defraud the United States, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371 (Case No. 19-80054-CR-Middlebrooks).  Maurival and Pognon have also been indicted for aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(2) and Maurival has been indicted for filing false tax returns, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(1).  Their initial appearances are scheduled for April 25, 2019, in West Palm Beach. 

According to the allegations in the indictment, Maurival operated a tax preparation business where he, Pognon, and Regusme prepared taxes.  From 2012 through 2015, they prepared and filed returns on which they claimed a variety of credits and deductions to which their clients were not entitled, including the Earned Income Credit, the Fuel Tax Credit, deductions for unreimbursed employee expenses, and deductions and credit for educational expenses.  In addition, Maurival underreported his gross earnings from the operation of his tax business on his personal tax returns.

If convicted, the defendants face maximum possible statutory sentences of 5 years in prison, for the conspiracy.  In addition, Maurival and Pognon face maximum possible statutory sentences of 3 years in prison on each of the other counts.

An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Osborne.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.